Little Lion Heart
by Hans153
Summary: "Welcome home Darling," He let out his signature drawl and smirk that sent shivers through her whole body.' When Hermione agreed to back, she wasn't ready for what was waiting for her on the other end of that train journey.


Hola,

Yes I know long time no see. Since the last time I posted a chapter I have become an adult who works and crap now, it is all very exciting.

I have been writing but just not posting. But I have this story on the back burning FOREVER and since I've just started rereading Harry Potter I felt that it was time for this to see the light of day.

I hope you enjoy.

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She sat and watched as his chest rose and fell. Looking at him she could tell he would never truly understand why she often left during the night. He just didn't get it, when she tried to explain it to him he would say what he always said.

"I was there too, you know? I know what it feels like!" But he didn't. He only knew part of it.

She glanced at the clock on her bedside table four-thirty in the morning. She still had an hour and a half till she could get up without it looking suspicious. She went back to watching him, his red hair spread across his face, his nose sprinkled with freckles, he looked so peaceful. He claimed to understand and know how it feels, if he really knew he wouldn't be sleeping soundly, he would awake like her unable to sleep because of the plague of bad memories that creep in under the cover of darkness.

Six o'clock came at a snails pace, but as soon as the clock struck six she sprang out of bed. She grabbed the cotton dressing gown from the chair in the corner of the room. She stood at the window peering out of the crack of curtains and on to the dusty street below. You could tell that the autumn is drawing in, it's six o'clock and the sun hasn't fully risen yet. A few weeks ago it was fully light outside at this time of day but now the sun is only just peeking through the clouds.

She went down the stairs to the kitchen she planned to start breakfast but changed her mind it was still early no one else will be awake for at least another two hours. She hunted out the novel that's she had started to lose herself in yesterday. She settled in the study and became captured within the pages, time flew.

"We have to be very quiet Teddy, everyone else is sleeping," She heard Harry come down the stairs with his Godson Teddy. She looked at the antique wall clock above the mantelpiece in the study. She had been so absorbed in her book she barely noticed the two and a half hours that had past.

She met Harry in the hallway as he carried Teddy Lupin, now five years old, down to the kitchen.

"Oh morning, Hermione, I didn't realise anyone else was awake," At first glance you would assume Harry had bed hair. However she knew better, it's just how his hair grew. Teddy's hair was red this morning, not Weasley red but Muggle post box red.

"Morning Harry, good morning little man," Hermione liked children, however she wasn't ready for any of her own.

Hermione started on breakfast she knew as soon as she got started the smell would wake up Ron.

"Still can't sleep, huh?" she didn't say anything "Don't worry I get it," Sure he does.

" Don't pull that face with me Granger. I do get it. Better than Ron anyway," That's not hard she thought.

"How do you want your eggs, Teddy?"

"Scrambled," Teddy was a cheerful child, always wore a smile.

"Post has arrived. There is another one here," She let out a sigh. Harry handed her the envelope looked down at the familiar emerald green handwriting:

_Miss Hermione Granger_

_12 Grimmauld Place_

_Islington, London_

_N1 4JE_

"You're going to have to reply soon one way or another,"

She knows he's right, there was little more than a week before she had to make her choice. When first letter came at the end of June, Hermione replied right away stating she couldn't make her choice right away but would get back to them. Now it two months later and she hasn't made up her mind yet. Part of her knew going back would be a bad idea but a slightly bigger part of her thought going back might hold all the answers.

"What would you do?" She knew that they were very different people but as her best friend she respected his opinion. "Could you go back there?"

"If they were asking me, I would go back in a heartbeat, before now it was the only place I called home. But that's just me. What does he think?" Harry shot his eyes skywards. She shrugged, Ron didn't think it was the best idea but he would support her anyway. She put the letter in her dressing gown pocket.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PERCY!" Everybody screeched as Percy and his heavily pregnant wife walked through the door. The Burrow was packed to the rafters with Weasley's children and their children. Hermione felt like she was going back to school, seeing everyone crowded around the dinner table smiles on their faces, ever George held on to a smile. Once everyone had, had their fill of dinner, Mrs. Weasley's brought out a large homemade sponge cake, with white icing, and a large number twenty-seven in the middle. The whole family joined in singing Happy Birthday.

Hermione looked around the room at all the faces, they all knew about Hermione's offer some thought it was a great idea others didn't maybe if she talked to them all one last time she would be able to make up her mind. There is one person she really wanted to ask, they'd give her a straight answer but they weren't here.

There were people scattered around the room enjoying their own conversations. Hermione spotted Mrs. Weasley clearing away.

"Do you need a hand, Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione asked.

"Oh how nice of you to offer dear. Since none of my own children were nice enough too," She said the last part loudly hoping to spark a response… Nothing.

They both laughed, Mrs. Weasley knew better than to expect her children to willing offer help without being prompted to first.

"When is my son going to put a ring on your finger, ah?"

Straight after the war Hermione and Ron started living together with Harry at Grimmauld Place, they started out on separate room but in the end they saw it was a stupid idea since they spent every night together anyway. Over the years they had become comfortable with the way things were and talk of marriage never really came up, not even when Harry and Ginny got married three years ago.

"I don't know, maybe we'll just be one of those couples that are together forever and just never tie the knot." She sighed, she wanted to marry Ron; she really did. Ron just never seemed interested in the idea.

"Maybe, or maybe my son is moron and forgot ask you," Mrs. Weasley and Hermione again set off in laughter, knowing Ron this is a likely scenario.

"One day my lovely, one day I just know it!" Mrs. Weasley kissed Hermione's hand.

"What if, I decide to go back?" Mrs. Weasley knew what she meant, it is all that has been on any of their minds these past few months.

"Is that why you haven't answered those letters yet? You're scared Ron won't approve," Hermione wasn't sure if this was strictly true, it was certainly part of it.

"I don't know. I don't if it's my fears about going back and I'm just casting them off as my fears about Ron,"

Hermione and Mrs. Weasley talked for a long time, it truly help Hermione get it sorted in her head. She had planned to talk to everyone but it seemed unnecessary by this point she has made up her mind. She got up from the chair at the kitchen table and thanked Mrs. Weasley again with a hug.

Ron was sat in the armchair in the living room talking to Bill, Ginny and Harry about Quidditch. She crept in and sat on the arm of the chair next to Ron, she started playing with his hair, absent-mindedly moving her fingers through his locks while he conversed with his family. Harry checked his watch, the same watch he was given for his seventeenth birthday, seems like a lifetime ago now.

"We best get going. We've got to get Teddy back to Mrs. Tonks before she called the Auror's on me for kidnapping her grandson," The group laughed, Harry took Ginny's hand they collected Teddy and floo'd to Mrs. Tonk's home.

"Hey, why don't we get out of here as well," Hermione whispered in Ron's ear still playing with his hair.

They scarcely made it to the front door before Ron started to attack her with his lips. He worked his tongue inside her mouth desperate to show his love to her. He undid the clasp of her cloak.

"Ron wait," Hermione let out breathlessly. Once her normal breathing had resumed she told him. "Ron, I'm taking Professor McGonagall up on her job offer,"

"Oh really, cool I guess if it's what you want then, yeah go for it,"

"Well Ronald, talk about run me over with enthusiasm," She said sarcastically.

She took off her own cloak and headed upstairs. Alone. She sat at the dressing table in their room, Hermione kept a spare piece of parchment or two in the top draw along with a pot of ink and quill.

_Dear Professor McGonagall,_

_ I apologise for my late reply, however if the position of Transfiguration teacher is still available I would be delighted to fill the spot._

_Many thanks_

_Hermione Granger._

Hermione dug out an envelope addressing it to Professor McGonagall, she found the barn owl Harry was brought by Ginny to replace Hedwig. She sent her letter off into the night.

To riled up to even think about sleeping Hermione headed for the attic, over the years the attic had become a dumping ground for things they no longer needed or used but didn't like the thought of throwing away. After a few minutes of searching she found what she was looking for. Hers was third in the stack of four, under GW and RW. When she finally got it back down to the second floor, with no help from Ron, she opened it up; there it all was just as she had left it six years ago. Robes folded neatly with her tie placed on top. Two piles of textbooks, by of the side of her uniform. She became nostalgic as she took her old school things out of her trunk and replaced them with her current belongings.

No turning back now.

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So thoughts, feelings... general conversions?

:D


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